Thomas A. Edison, sometimes called the "Wizard of Menlo Park," was one of the most productive inventors the world has ever seen, holding over 1000 patents. Although it's been thought that he invented the electric light bulb, Edison and his team greatly improved the light design with a long lasting filament. Edison had also improved the fluoroscope (x-ray), greatly affecting his eyesight and fatally overdosing his assistant, Clarence Dalley, with radiation. The Wizard's phonograph was the first device ever to record and play recorded sounds. Edison first demonstrated motion pictures in 1891, and began the production of "movies" two years later. Like the electric light and phonograph, Edison developed a complete system, supplying everything needed to film and show the motion pictures.
   Edison's winter estate, the Seminole Lodge, was built along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Meyers, Florida. Visiting the area during the 1880s, Edison greatly enjoyed the tropical setting and quickly decided to build his winter home and laboratory beside the river. Today the site features nine buildings listed on the National Register, including his research labs and botanical gardens. Over 250,000 guests visit the Edison and Ford Winter Estates annually, aiding an ongoing preservation effort to maintain these two very popular estate homes.

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